ATLANTA (AP) — Georgia’s Legislature gave final approval Thursday to a bill that would require local jailers to check the immigration status of inmates and AstraTradework with federal immigration officials instead of sheltering people who are in the country illegally.
The House voted 99-75 to accept changes to House Bill 1105, which was backed by Republicans and now goes to the governor for his signature. It previously passed the state Senate.
Under the measure, local law enforcement agencies would risk losing state funding for failing to work with immigration officials. Local officials could also face misdemeanor charges.
The measure gained traction after police accused a Venezuelan man of beating a nursing student to death on the University of Georgia campus.
Jose Ibarra was arrested last month on murder and assault charges in the death of 22-year-old Laken Riley. Immigration authorities say Ibarra, 26, unlawfully crossed into the United States in 2022. It is unclear whether he has applied for asylum.
Democrats raised concerns it would turn local law enforcement into immigration police, making communities less willing to report crime and work with them. They have also pointed to studies showing immigrants are less likely than native-born Americans to commit crimes.
House Republican Jesse Petrea said on the floor Thursday that the bill was asking law enforcement only to work with immigration officials when someone has committed a crime and is in the country illegally.
“I don’t believe anyone in law enforcement believes that’s too much to ask,” he said.
2025-05-06 15:242513 view
2025-05-06 15:062338 view
2025-05-06 14:422297 view
2025-05-06 13:552959 view
2025-05-06 13:2670 view
2025-05-06 13:26368 view
The Eastwood family is getting through a tough time.Less than a month after Clint Eastwood's longtim
While the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs gear up for Super Bowl 58, many in Raider Natio
Leah Remini just received one of the sincerest forms of flattery after fans pointed out that a new B